The Beginning of a New End
by Black Rose 2014
Summary: Aulë and Yavanna, displeased with how their children fare during and after the War of the Ring, decide to do what they can to better prepare the world for the evil of Sauron. Unable to interfere themselves, they send two of their children back to the day Middle Earth was put on its current choice. Thorin/Bilbo Slash
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

His heart broke even as it ceased beating, his vision fading to black with Bilbo's tearful face looking down at him, begging him to stay. He didn't know if he would even if he could. He had made so many mistakes. He didn't deserve to live as King Under the Mountain, and he definitely didn't deserve the love of the hobbit crying above him.

No, he would die. Fili would become king and Durin's line would endure. The world did not need him, he decided as he felt his spirit leave his body and enter the void.

_You are wrong_, a deep voice reverberated around him. The voice was ancient and vast like a mountain. _This world has great need of you_.

"I do not understand," he tried to say, only to find he had no voice. His confusion must have come across, though, as a different voice answered.

_You must be brave and strong, husband-child_, a voice like sunshine and gentle winds. _You have seen only the beginning of the darkness. Now, you have the chance to begin again._

'What does that mean?' he thought to himself.

_It means we intend to send you back, back to the day Middle Earth was put on its current path. Mayhaps you can divert its course_, the first voice answered.

'This darkness you speak of? Will it win if things are not changed?' he asked, unsure of what answer he would prefer. If all were lost without him, he was unsure if he were the best person for this task. He had brought only ruin where he went. However, if victory would happen with things as they were, he did not want to risk causing defeat instead.

_If we did not believe you could do this, we would not have chosen you,_ the voice boomed at him. _But no, this darkness as things now stand._

_But our children will lose much_, the other voice lamented. _Your people will diminish, with most of your kin slained. And I am afraid my children will lose something far more precious than their lives. They shall lose their innocence._

_You have the chance to stop the sufferings of many people_, the first stated. _ We believe you can do this._

'And if I fail?' he asked, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task in front of him.

_Take heart, husband-child_, the other voice soothed. _We do not send you alone. You are but half of a whole._

_It is time for you to go. Fare thee well, child of mine. You have the blessings of both of us._

Thorin awoke with a great gasp and sat straight up, confused as to where he was. Tree surrounded him. Odd, as there was nowhere near Erebor with this many trees this close together. Not thick enough to be a forest, and definitely not foul enough to be the woods of Mirkwood anyway.

He stood slowly, walking around the small camp he had awoken up in and could plainly see that he was the only one who had been there.

The voices. Had they been real?

It was the only explanation that made sense to him. Why else would he awaken alone and uninjured in this copse of trees? They had said they were sending him back. But where did they send him _to_?

Seeing as how no answer would come to him where he was, he quickly packed up the few belongings littering the area into the pack he found near the tree where he had been sleeping. He headed for the direction he had woken up facing, knowing that is where the road would be. It was clear that he himself had set up this camp, regardless of his not remembering doing so. That meant that he would have fallen asleep facing the direction unwanted visitors were likely to come from.

He was proven correct after walking some fifty paces and finding a well-traveled road. He frowned as he surveyed the area. It was vaguely familiar too him, but he couldn't figure out why. There were no distinguishing landmarks that he could see. It was a bit of road that could be anywhere in Middle Earth.

Which meant he had no idea which way he was supposed to be traveling.

As he stood there puzzling, a soft _clop-clop_ of hooves hitting packed dirt reached his ears, followed closely by the creaking of wagon wheels. He dunked behind a tree, uncertain if whatever land he was in was friendly to dwarrows or not.

As a pony-drawn wagon rounded the bend in the road and the driver came into view, the familiarity of the land became as clear. Knowing there was little to fear in the Shire other than perhaps idle gossip, Thorin stepped into view without fear and inclined his head to the hobbit, who drew up short at the sight of him in his path.

"Good morning, Master Hobbit," he greeted politely. "Pardon me, but could you point me in the direction of Hobbiton?"

"B-back that way," the hobbit responded, stammering slightly. Thorin frowned. He had not meant to frighten him. "Good morning," the hobbit said hastily before spurring his pony on at a much faster pace than before.

He put the frightened hobbit out of his mind and made towards the village he had only visited once before. He didn't know why he was there, but considering there was only one person he knew in the Shire, he knew there was no question as to what his destination was.

Bag End.

His heart sped up at the thought of seeing Bilbo again. He could only assume that the hobbit had returned to his own home. Why else would he have been brought here? How long had it been since the battle? Did his hobbit think him dead?

That thought made him hasten his pace. He did not know how hobbit relationships worked. They had never had time during their stolen moments to discuss those types of things. But if hobbits loved anything like dwarrows did, then his hobbit was suffering.

Because finding their One for dwarrows was finding the other half of their souls. It was better to never find your other half than it was to lose them. Better to always feel as if something is missing than to have your very soul ripped in two. The fact that he could have caused his One that type of pain...

It did no good to dwell on it. To occupy his mind, he tried to recall what exactly the voices had said. It was like trying to remember a dream. He remembered dying. He'd never forget the sight of Bilbo crying for him as his spirit was released from his body. He didn't know where he had gone after that, just that the voices were there. They were sending him back, they said. He assumed to his body, but why was he here?

Back to the day Middle Earth was put on its path. What did that mean though? Did that mean... surely it could not...

Time travel?

He shook his head. That was ridiculous. Then again, this whole situation was so strange that it could be true. It would explain why he woke in his own, unremembered, campsite. It would explain why he was uninjured. It would also explain why he was in Hobbiton.

He had been brought back to the day he had met Bilbo Baggins.

But why?

Meeting Bilbo could hardly have changed the entire world. Yes, it had changed _his_ world. And yes, he knew things would probably have gone differently at Erebor if Bilbo had not gone on their quest with them. But the entirety of Middle Earth?

It seemed inconceivable, but he would never the difference that Bilbo Baggins could make.

He stopped dead just as he crossed the borders of Hobbiton. If he had been brought back to the day he had met Bilbo, that meant his hobbit did not know him yet. In the original timeline, he had not traveled to the hobbit's home until he had the cover of night. It was barely noon.

Should he continue on? From what Bilbo had told him, he had been alarmed by the unexpected house guests, to the point of considering escaping from his own home and taking a room for the night at the Green Dragon. His hobbit had been quite distressed by the dwarrows who took over his house. Maybe it would be better if he went to Bag End now and explain things to the hobbit, warn him in advance of the coming dwarrows, perhaps convince him to join their quest sooner.

He nodded to himself and continued on, knowing that, for all his rationalization, he was really only going because he did not want to be apart from his One a moment longer. And after how he had treated the hobbit after he had found out about the Arkenstone...

He wanted a chance to prove to Bilbo just how much he meant to him, wanted to assure him that he would never again allow the madness that had gripped him in Erebor to elevate gold and gems above the hobbit, and, though he knew it was impossible, wanted to make up for how he had behaved towards Bilbo during those moments of madness.

Of course, this Bilbo knew nothing about any of that. Did not know that Thorin, in his madness, had tried to throw him off the mountain. Did not know how much Thorin had regretted. Had not held Thorin as he died. Had not cried as he freely gave Thorin his forgiveness, something which meant more to the dwarf than any amount of gold or jewels.

This Bilbo knew none of that because he was not _Thorin's_ Bilbo.

His feet had brought him to Bag End before he had even realized it. The smial was a lot easier to find in the daytime, or maybe it helped that he had been there before. Or maybe his soul just knew how to find his One.

And regardless of this Bilbo not knowing him yet, he was still Thorin's One, was he not? Did it matter that he did not carry the burdens of his Bilbo? Did it matter that he had not endured the pain that _Thorin_ had put _his_ Bilbo through?

But was it fair to use his own knowledge to cultivate a relationship with this Bilbo? It seemed... deceitful. To try and make up for his sins against his Bilbo with the current one felt like a lie. Had he not done enough to his One? Must he lie to him as well?

He could always tell Bilbo the truth, but he was certain that the hobbit would think him crazy. It would be hard enough convincing the hobbit to come on their quest to take back Erebor from Smaug. Getting him to believe that he was the other half of Thorin's soul and that Thorin had been sent back to ensure the future of Middle Earth? It was an impossible task.

As he stood indecisively outside of the gate of Bag End, the round green door opened and his hobbit stepped out and froze upon seeing him. Thorin braced himself for the alarm he knew would enter those beautiful brown eyes. It was only natural, he told himself despite knowing how much it would hurt, how much it would remind him of the true fear those eyes had held when Thorin had attacked him in Erebor. This hobbit did not know him, and Thorin knew that he did not strike an unintimidating figure. He would not allow it to affect him.

"Thorin," the hobbit in front of him breathed, his eyes glistening with tears.

He gasped in surprise. He knew him. His One _knew_ him. "Bilbo," he whispered softly, just staring at the beautiful creature in front of him.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he moved through the gate quickly and, reaching the door, crushed the hobbit to his body. Bilbo was not complaining, though, as he was clutching Thorin back just as desperately.

He pulled back and pressed his forehead against his hobbit's, taking in the sight of his One and breathing him in. He gently wiped away the tears streaming down Bilbo's face with his thumbs.

"Oh, my One, do not cry," he pleaded.

Bilbo made a noise that was a cross between a laugh and a sob. "Don't cry, he says," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Oh, Thorin, it has been so many years. _So many_. I thought I would have to fight for your love once more."

"Never," he swore. "You have it. You've always had it. I am so sorry for making you think otherwise."

"I don't care," Bilbo laughed wildly. "You're here. You remember me, and I'm not alone in this."

_You are but half of a whole._

"You'll never be alone," Thorin promised. "Now, let us get inside and discuss things. Your neighbors will be talking about you ages if we stay out here any longer."

Bilbo laughed again. "I'm sure that is bound to happen anyway. But yes, lots to discuss. Future of Middle Earth and whatnot."

Thorin smiled as he followed his hobbit into his hole. For the first time since waking up, he felt as if he could take on whatever evils this world could throw at him, as long as his One was at his side.

Tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

He pulled back from his hobbit as the door closed behind them and looked down at him in horror as a thought crossed his mind. "Please tell me you did not die in the battle as well? Tell me I did not lead you to your death?"

Bilbo smiled sadly at him and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I was cursed with a very long life after your death. I slipped away quietly in my sleep at the unprecedented age of 131."

"I am glad," he sighed, pressing his forehead against the hobbit's in relief. "If I had led you to your doom, I would have never forgiven myself."

A shadow crossed Bilbo's eyes and he bit his lip. "Perhaps we ought to sit down. There is a lot you don't know about. This quest we're about to go on is important in more ways than you think."

He frowned at the haunted look in the hobbit's eyes and followed him silently to the sofa in the other room. Whatever had happened between his death and Bilbo's, he could tell from his One's eyes that it involved much pain and loss. A part of him was loathed to hear it, unable to bear the thought of anything causing his hobbit pain. The larger part of him, though, knew that he had to know, not only to prevent what he could, but so that he could know exactly how badly he had failed in his previous life.

"I do know that Gandalf has a motive other than merely helping a group of undeserving dwarrows reclaim their homeland," he said bitterly. "Though I do not know what it is."

It had been one of the reasons he had been so mistrustful of the wizard's advice the first time around, that and his insistence on getting help from _elves _of all people. Though in hindsight, the wizard had never steered them wrong. In fact, if it had not been for Gandalf, he never would have met Bilbo, would not have met his One. Thorin would always been in the wizard's debt for that.

"He does, though the dwarrows I came to know are _hardly _undeserving," Bilbo said with a disapproving frown. "But it isn't a _bad_ motive. He wants you to reclaim the mountain because of its strategic position. He knows it'll be needed when the War breaks out. Though, I'm not entirely sure if he knows that War will definitely happen."

"War?" Thorin asked, brow furrowed. "And who will be fighting against whom in this war?"

His mind was whirring with the possibilities. Who would need this strategic position that Gandalf sought? Who was the old man trying to secure it for? Who did Gandalf think could defeat the army of dwarrows who would defend Erebor to their last breath if they ever were to reclaim it?

Bilbo looked puzzled, though, at the question. "_Everyone_ will be fighting it. Sauron and his forces are enemies of all of us."

He sucked in a sharp breath. The voices had talked of a darkness but... "Sauron? He was killed."

The terribleness of Sauron and his forces were well known among his people. His forefather, Durin IV, had marched against the Dark Lord in the Last Alliance alongside the elf Gil-Galad and Elendil of Numenor. They had been told, though, that Sauron was defeated. That his evil would never darken the lands of Middle Earth again. Had they been deceived?

Bilbo shook his head. "No. His life was tied to the One Ring. As long as the ring exists, he lives on. And he has been gaining strength."

"Then it is even more important that we reclaim Erebor," he said seriously. "It will surely be an important stronghold in the North."

Bilbo bit his lip and seemed to hesitate over his words before sighing in resignation. "Erebor is not the only important thing we obtain on this quest."

Thorin felt a sense of forboding overtake him. He was not going to like whatever it was that the hobbit said next.

"Do you remember the ring I found in the Misty Mountain caves?"

No. He had to be misunderstanding. He could not have allowed such evil to have touch his One. If Bilbo had found the One Ring... Oh, Mahal, Bilbo had _used_ the One Ring. Thorin felt sick at the thought. And if the cursed thing was tied to Sauron's life force.

He grasped Bilbo's hands tightly in his own, mostly to assure himself that his One was there, _safe_, _alive_, and untouched by this evil.

"And I thought it a useful, but harmless trinket," he said breathlessly.

"Yes, well, we were both wrong on that point," Bilbo remarked bitterly. "But you didn't willingly give the blasted thing to your nephew and let him bear the burden of walking to Mordor to destroy it."

Horror welled inside of Thorin. "You mean to destroy it yourself?"

Bilbo smiled sadly at him. "Wouldn't you? If you had seen it suck all joy and happiness out of Fili or Kili? Would you not take the burden from them? Would you not do everything in your power to keep that type of evil away from them?"

"I would, but I would also do everything to keep it away from _you _as well, my love," Thorin said, leaning his forehead against the hobbit's.

"It is my burden to bear," he replied.

"It is _our_ burden to bear," he argued, bring a hand up to cup his One's cheek. "We were sent back to help each other. Allow me to help you in this."

"It's just..." Bilbo bit his lip and looked away, but Thorin saw the doubt that lingered in his eyes.

He sighed heavily. "You do not trust me with such a burden. I cannot blame you. You trusted me before and I cast you aside for a thriced-damn rock."

"That's not it!" the hobbit insisted. "The ring whispers terrible things to the mind. Tempts you with your greatest desire, your greatest fears. The gold sickness is not what I fear you succumbing to. There is something that happened before that I know you will stop at nothing to keep from happening this time around."

"What are you not telling me?" he asked, feeling ice settle at the base his spine.

Bilbo looked at him with a deep sadness in his eyes. "Fili and Kili both fell with you in battle that day."

His boys... No.

His head dropped into his hands. Bilbo wrapped him in his arms and Thorin went willing, weeping openly into the hobbit's shoulder.

He had led them to their deaths. He was _leading_ them to their deaths.

"It will not happen," he stated firmly. "I will not allow it."

"We _were_ sent back to change things," Bilbo reminded with a sad smile.

"Right," he agreed. "They are going to be angry with me, but it cannot be helped."

"Sorry, but why are they going to be angry with you?" he asked, confusion written on his face.

"For telling them they cannot come on this quest with us," Thorin replied. Bilbo could not seriously expect him to allow his sister-sons to travel with them after telling him their deaths lie at the end of the journey. He could not do that.

"Thorin, I understand. Really, I do, but are you sure that's the wisest course?" Thorin opened his mouth to argue but Bilbo cut him off. "Hear me out. We don't know how this whole changing the course of history thing will actually work. What if Fili and Kili are meant to be in a life-threatening situation no matter what? We can't save them if we are not with them."

"You cannot ask me to risk all three of you," he whispered brokenly.

"Hey, no," Bilbo soothed, taking Thorin's face in both hands. "We will be much more prepared for the battle at the mountain. We have advance warning. And if we coordinate better with the elves and men, and if Gandalf can get the Eagles there sooner, the battle will go much better."

"You would have me cooperate with _Thranduil_," he said, sneering at the name.

"For Fili and Kili's lives, not to mention your own? Yes, I would," he said with a glare. Thorin was suitably chastised at that. He would do anything to save the lives of his boys. "Besides, Thranduil will have plenty cause to fight. He should not want Erebor overrun with orcs and goblins anymore than you do. If Sauron gains enough power to strike out, Thranduil's kingdom will be beseiged by both Dol Guldur and Erebor if it falls."

"We will just have to convince him of that," Thorin commented with a grimace.

"Yes, well, might be best if I do the talking for that," Bilbo teased with a smile. "Though if we can get Gandalf to travel to the Woodland Realm with us, it might go a bit smoother."

"You think we should tell him the truth, then?" It had been a thought that crossed his mind as well. They would probably need the wizard's help to pull everything off, and Mahal knew the man could keep a secret better than most.

"I think we should tell them all eventual. The whole company," he clarified. "There's not one of them I would not trust with my life. Telling them all now, though, would be a mistake. You and I will be second-guessing ourselves enough without the other second-guessing themselves as well. But yes, we'll need to tell Gandalf so that he keeps closer than before."

"So you mean not to tell them until you march to your death in Mordor," Thorin said darkly.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Thorin," Bilbo said, rolling his eyes. "Sauron won't even be looking for something like this type of attack. He won't notice a small hobbit sneaking into Mount Doom."

"A small hobbit and a dwarf," he corrected. "Don't give me that look. You cannot expect me to let you go _alone_."

"I suppose you wouldn't be the stubborn dwarf I love if you did," he replied with a long-suffering look before smiling. "I promise it will all turn out okay."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Thorin warned, closing his eyes and leaning against his One.

They sat silently there for a few moments, both basking in each other's presence and thinking of the long, dangerous road ahead.

"Well then," Bilbo said, standing and smiling down at Thorin. "I do believe that there are twelve hungry dwarves and one wizard who will all be here by nightfall, and this time, I intend on serving them a much better supper than I did the first time around, followed in the morning by a bountiful breakfast. Yavanna knows we won't get many good meals in the coming days. Might as well spoil the lads now."

"Should we not plan what we intend to do?" Thorin asked in bewilderment.

"Of course," he replied with a nod. "You plan, I cook. Just keep in mind with your planning that we will have to get the ring from Gollum, and we will have to make a trip to see Thranduil."

"I hope you don't intend on me letting you fall down the inside of a mountain again," he said with narrowed eyes. "It was just luck you didn't break your neck the first time."

"I'm sure you'll come up with something," Bilbo replied with an indulgent smile. "Just make sure you make it a bit flexible. Never know what will happen on the road. Last time, I ended up falling for a stubborn dwarf king."

That managed to draw a smile out of Thorin for the first time since he learned of his sister-sons' deaths in the other time. Bilbo's smile grew larger when he saw it.

"We're going to change things, Thorin. We will keep them safe."

'And I will keep you safe,' he vowed silently. 'I will not fail any of my family again.'

tbc...

So this chapter was tough to write, and I'm not entirely satisfied with how it turned out, so please let me know what you think!


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